


You're Worth It, Eliot Spencer

by CurlyCue



Category: Leverage
Genre: First Kiss, Other, anyway this is just soft indulgent fluff, god im such a simp for eliot spencer, it's actually not you/your for once, they/them pronouns for reader
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-02
Updated: 2020-11-02
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:20:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27343441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CurlyCue/pseuds/CurlyCue
Summary: The newest addition to Team Leverage has a serious and intimate discussion with the resident hitter. They've made their decision; the question of what comes next is entirely based on his response.
Relationships: Eliot Spencer (Leverage)/Reader
Comments: 2
Kudos: 19





	You're Worth It, Eliot Spencer

“Hey, Eliot?” 

In response, he hums and looks up to meet their gaze with an inquisitive expression.

The moment his eyes lock onto theirs, their lips curl into a gentle smile. “I love you,” they say. Though their eyes are soft and their voice earnest, it still manages to knock the wind out of him. He nearly chokes on air, and visibly clenches his jaw before swallowing his rattled nerves. They just watch intently for his reaction, pulling their bottom lip between their teeth and furrowing their brow the way they do anytime they’re concerned or lost in thought. 

After a beat of silence, Eliot finds his voice, and he nearly trips over it-- it comes out lower than he intends for it to, and he clears his throat before continuing. “... Where is this coming from?”

It’s a quieter response than he first feels like giving, and it’s obvious it’s not what they expected to hear either. He sees the nerves fall away into something like disappointment, and they release their lower lip, looking down to fiddle with their hands as they cobble together an uncertain response-- much less blunt and sure than their initial declaration, but no less vulnerable. “I’m not really sure what you mean,” they murmur first, then continue before he has the chance to elaborate. “I just… we’ve been spending more time together recently, and I’ve noticed things. You’re… multifaceted,” they settle reluctantly, like it’s not quite the word they’re looking for. “People underestimate you, but, mm… I see you. And I just thought you should know that you’re exactly the kind of person I want in my life.” Their voice is quieter than usual, as though influenced by the intimacy of the conversation, but their final statement is filled with conviction. 

Eliot is, honestly, lost for words; his brows are lowered in confusion, and he’s frozen on the edge of his seat, but a moment of compartmentalizing leads him to let out a shallow breath through parted lips, forcing himself to relax into leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. “Darlin’, as flattered as I am, I don’t know if that’s such a great idea.” It hurts him to say it-- every word makes a dull ache ring in his chest-- but it’s true, he tells himself. It’s his job to protect his team, protect his people, and protect people who can’t protect themselves; as much as he would love to, he can’t afford to indulge himself if it means introducing more dangerous and unknown variables into the mix the way a relationship would. 

Unfortunately, they don’t seem to share his view of things; mirroring his previous expression, their brows settle into a furrow and their soft openness reshapes itself into a frown. “I don’t understand,” they stutter. “I wasn’t proposing anything. I was just… letting you know?”

“Exactly,” he affirms, sitting up slightly, although his elbows remain firmly planted on his knees. “It’s not a good idea to even start considering me like that.” At that, their expression falls into something irritable, almost a scowl, and he affixes them with a firm gaze that says to let him explain-- they remain at a standstill for a moment before they swallow their protest and let out a sigh, which he takes as his cue to continue. “Listen, sweetheart. Normally I wouldn’t mind tryin’ somethin’ out, but you’re too important. You’re a part of this team, but you aren’t on the most wanted list the way the rest of us are; you’re not as high-profile a target _yet._ The more entangled you get, the less true that becomes, and the more dangerous things get for you. Attraction is one thing, but love is serious shit,” he says, voice low. “I’m not about to tell you love is a weakness, because it isn’t. Feelings are real strong stuff, and everybody knows it, including the people who want us to suffer. If someone with as many enemies as me takes on more than a casual night, it spells trouble, and I’m the hitter. I’m here to keep you out of trouble, not paint a damn _target on your back.”_

There’s a moment of silence where they take in his words, balking at how opposed he seems to be to the idea of them even caring for him, but as they internally collect themselves, they settle their expression back into something flatter, softer. In fact, they find themselves almost smiling a bit. “... Is that all?”

“Is--?!” He exclaims in frustrated disbelief, quickly settling into his usual irritable expression. “‘Is that all,’ whadda ya mean, ‘is that all’?!” His voice raises only slightly, but they still tense a bit. Regardless, though, they let out an amused huff that could be taken for something almost fond, and they move closer to settle into a sitting position much closer to him. 

So close, in fact, that they’re now on the coffee table across from his seat on the couch, leaning forward and speaking very softly. “What I mean is you’re worth it, Eliot Spencer.”

Despite himself, he freezes as they come close, lips parted and brows still furrowed from his protests but quickly softening into a different expression. They watch as he presses his lips together, glancing down to theirs before swallowing nervously. The moment is a long one, neither of them quite knowing what the next move should be; when he speaks next, his words are quieter even than theirs had been, more breath than voice, tentative in a way Eliot almost never is. “... You sure about that?” His eyes lower to their lips again, their faces just inches apart now. It’s not a good idea, he knows, but it’s the heat of the moment-- and their expression is full of so much longing. So when they press forward and kiss him, he closes his eyes, brings his hands up to cup their face, tangling his fingers in their hair. 

The first kiss is like a crack in a dam; they break apart quickly, but dive back in just as soon into another, eyes fluttering shut. It’s not a chaste kiss, but it’s not terribly messy, either, and he doesn’t protest when they move into his lap, instead moving a hand to lay gently at their lower back. The kiss is fairly brief, but _nice,_ and when they part it’s only barely, their lips still brushing his, warm breath mixing as their noses and foreheads touch. He doesn’t open his eyes when they pull away the second time, but he feels their eyelashes tickle his cheeks and smiles slightly. Their breath stutters for a second, and he does open his eyes then, only to realize they’re chuckling. 

“Yeah, I’m sure,” they murmur against his lips. “It’s a _very distinctive_ feeling, Eliot.”


End file.
